A Call For a Sunday Observance Amendment by W. A. Colcord

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 8, 1906

A Call For a Sunday Observance Amendment

By W. A. Colcord

For many years the National Reformers have been laboring to secure a “religious amendment” to the Constitution of the United States, in order that all “Christian customs, laws, and usages” may be placed upon “an undeniable legal basis in the fundamental law of the land.” We have known all along, of course, that one of the chief reasons for desiring such an amendment has been to secure a legal or constitutional basis for Sunday legislation. But the advocates of such legislation in California are now calling for a straight “Sunday observance amendment,” it seems, to the State constitution of that State. From a letter just received from Elder Isaac Morrison, written from Sacramento, Cal., we quote the following:—

“In the California legislature this winter there is to be introduced a Sunday observance amendment to the State constitution. One of the leading workers in that cause, Rev. G. E. Swan, in an Episcopal convention here October 4, said: ‘There is no question of so much importance as this. We may have a Sunday law in time, but the first thing is a constitutional amendment. If we should pass a Sunday law, it might be declared unconstitutional.’

“The Sunday law was made a political issue in California in the campaign of 1882; and the Sunday law that the State then had was soon after repealed. The Democratic convention in San Jose in 1882 put a plank in its platform to repeal the Sunday law; and the Republican convention in Sacramento put a plank in its platform sustaining the Sunday law. The Republican party had usually carried the State by a large majority; but that year the Democratic party carried the State by a large majority, and the Sunday law was repealed. Since then the legislators have been afraid to have anything to do with the Sunday law.

“Some months ago the Methodist presiding elder of this district, Dr. McReary, who began the agitation of the proposed Sunday observance amendment to the State constitution, in reading a paper before the Pastors’ Union, of Sacramento, remarked that they could not hope to get a Sunday law passed by the present legislators, but that they would likely be willing to let the responsibility fall on the people, in allowing them to vote on the proposed Sunday amendment to the constitution.

“I heard the proposed amendment read by Rev. G. E. Swan before an Episcopal convention here, October 4, and before the Pastors’ Union, October 8. It makes no reference to religion except in the exemption clause in behalf of Seventh-day observers. Said Rev. Swan:—

“‘We shall never be able to get it religiously. If we are going to get a day of rest, it will be simply as a day of rest.’ ‘Now this movement on the face of it is not a religious movement. So if we can not get a day on religious grounds, let us get a day of rest on grounds that are not religious.’ ‘This constitutional amendment must be devoid of everything religious.’ ‘It is impossible for the State to legislate on this subject on any other basis.’

“Yet in his remarks he also said: ‘I believe that you believe that back of empty pews is this lack of a day of rest.’ ‘You have got to get into this thing if you are going to save souls, if you are going to save the church, if you are going to save the State.’ ‘It is at the bottom to a large extent of our empty pews. It is no wonder that on Sunday our churches are empty.’ ‘It is not simply a matter of the preservation of our churches, but of our civilization.’ ‘The northern part of the State is going back to heathenism, and this is the only thing to save it.’

“And again he said: ‘The first difficulty is the Jews and the Seventh-day Adventists. The very first thing you are going to do is to come up against that.’

“And referring to the exemption clause in favor of seventh-day observers, he said: ‘I disbelieve in any such concession to the Jews or Seventh-day Adventists.’

“At the Pastors’ Union last Monday, after the reading of the proposed amendment to the constitution, and remarks by Rev. Mr. Swan, the pastors’ union voted that they were not in favor of the exemption clause in behalf of seventh-day observers. Speaking of the exemption clause, Mr. Swan remarked: ‘It imparts into this thing a religious flavor, and brings in the matter of religion.’

“The proposed amendment has in it provisions that empower every county to enforce Sunday regulation that it may choose to adopt. Grove L. Johnson, an eminent lawyer of Sacramento, is to bring the matter before the legislature. The Sunday law is being agitated in other parts of the State also.”

This is another evidence of the tide that is rising all over the world for enforced Sunday rest.

W. A. COLCORD.